something great
by xoxoStyles
Summary: sometimes it takes letting go of the past to move forward. massie through the years
1. part i

She's 12 when they meet for the first time. She and her friends are standing in the middle of her spacious backyard, which is decorated with tents and twinkle lights. The brunette is scanning the crowd cautiously, clearly looking for someone, when their eyes meet. The second that chocolate meets amber, she finds it impossibly hard to look away. It's like their own little bubble, and while she'll never admit it, she thinks it's nice. In fact, she feels like they're the only two people in the world, like time freezes just for them.

She tries not to seem disappointed when he looks away after a while, turning to talk to one of his friends about God knows what. For the rest of the night, she successfully sneaks quick glances at him while he isn't looking, listening to two of her friends basically swoon over the blonde boy she's starting to like. She can't help but feel a little overprotective over **her boy** as she hears her friends argue back and forth over which of them he likes better, and she can't help but wish that he liked her more than either of them. It's the beginning of their story, and while it's not as cliched and 'romantic' as she dreamed it would be, she can't help but love the way everything started.

As the school year starts, Massie starts seeing the boy around more often than she used to, and wonders how she could've overlooked him in the past. She quickly learns that his name is Derrick and that he is the star goalie of his small soccer team. The second she takes a good look at the boy, she can instantly tell why Dylan and Kristen are so obsessed with him; in fact, she quickly figures out that a large majority of the school loves him. He has perfectly tanned skin with a warm, kind smile, and eyes that she can't seem to forget about. Derrick's eyes are a soothing chocolate brown color, and she's observed that they seem to sparkle when he's really excited about something, even something as simple as the fact that they're having pizza for lunch.

Within a few months of school starting, the two of them find themselves going head-to-head in their class election. Yeah, it's weird that they're voting on this now, considering they still have more than five years before they graduate, but their principal says this is how it should be. It's weird because someone else has to nominate each candidate, so they nominate each other, both thinking the other would make a flawless president.

Derrick ends up winning, with her working as hard as possible to persuade everyone to vote for him (he does the same for her, but she has a more solid approach. She bribes everyone with cupcakes and cute shirts, and suddenly their whole class is the proud owner of a shirt that says 'Derrick Harrington for Prez'). In return, he chooses his best friend Cam to be the treasurer (the kid has wicked math skills), and has Chris Plovert be his secretary (no one has better attendance than him). She laughs when he asks her to be his Vice President, and when she says yes, he places a flower crown on her head and the two walk hand-in-hand out of the gymnasium.

It doesn't take a genius to tell that they're clearly in love with each other (they deny it, but everyone knows it's true). His eyes light up whenever she's around, and she finds herself becoming more like the person she truly is with every second she spends with him (she thinks it's time to stop using words like _LBR,_ and thinks it's time to stop wanting to be the alpha). She tells him all her insecurities (she thinks she isn't good at anything and that everyone hates her) and he tells her about his dreams (he wants to play soccer in some of the biggest arenas and make a name for himself). They're friends with feelings, and while she thinks it seems a little cliched, it's just how things seem to be at the moment.

* * *

When she's 13 things start changing for the two of them. They're outside by Lake Placid on their school field trip when he kisses her for the first time. All of their friends are watching, and she can't help but feel like he's only doing it because they're there. Alicia and Claire try to reassure otherwise, try convincing her that her best friend might really like her, but when she doesn't hear from him four days after (it's a new record, they've never gone longer without speaking), she draws her own conclusions about the situation.

Her heart breaks when she sees he and Olivia Ryan together a week later, laughing like they've known each other for ages, looking like they're in love. She tries not to cry, especially not in front of all of the people in the cafeteria, who are watching her carefully (she's always hated being watched so carefully. It makes her feel like she has to be perfect). Dylan and Kristen make a big scene, trying to get everyone's attention off of Massie, as Claire and Alicia help the brunette make a run for the bathroom (her friends are the best and she knows it). They make eye contact as she practically sprints towards the door, tears pooling at the edges of her amber eyes as he just stares at her, looking slightly indifferent.

They don't talk for the rest of the year. She avoids him like the plague and he doesn't seem to notice, considering he's too busy with all of the relationships he's in (they're one after the other, it's kind of making her sick). She and Cam grow closer, both hurt by the betrayal of their best friend (Cam says it hurts seeing the person he's known all of his life become someone totally different) and their strange addiction to reality tv (it makes them feel better about their own lives, seeing people have complete meltdowns in front of America reminds them that some people are way worse than they are). People wonder if they're going to start dating like they thought she and Derrick would, but both happily reassure them that isn't happening anytime soon (she's still into his idiot best friend while he's into one of her friends). Sometimes when she isn't looking, Derrick sneaks quick glances at her, wondering if she's missing him like he's missing her (she is).

* * *

She's 14 when she's officially asked on her first date by Chris Abley, who is a year older than she is. She smiles shyly when he asks before accepting his invitation, along with the bouquet of white roses he hands her. Derrick watches from afar as he feels bile rising in his throat, clearly a little jealous that Chris gets to go out with the girl of his dreams (he blew his chance, he knows, but that doesn't mean he doesn't wish he could change everything).

She doesn't actually end up going on her date later that week, because her best friend Cam gets the flu a few days before, and she spends her time playing Nurse Massie, trying to make him feel better with freshly baked cookies and long '_Friends' _marathons. She shrugs away Cam's pleas for her to go out, insisting that he's more important than any upperclassmen could ever be and that if Chris really likes her, he'll wait (she doesn't really care when she hears that he's dating Skye Hamilton a few days later. She thinks she dodged a bullet by avoiding him).

She and Cam are voted '**Cutest Class Couple' **in the yearbook that spring, and neither seem to mind (Claire ended up liking Kemp and Cam's not as hurt as he thought he'd be). They shrug it off and laugh as they pose for pictures between classes, clearly just having fun, enjoying each other's company. Josh jokes that he feels jealous of the two of them ("Gee Mass, why are you taking my boyfriend away from me?") and the three of them grow closer as the year continues.

Derrick watches alongside his new friends, wondering when everything really started to change.

* * *

She's 15 when she's once more faced with Derrick Harrington, as the two are voted by the entire freshman class to be their representatives during the homecoming parade (she's always wanted to be a princess, but she's not sure she really wants Derrick to be her prince). Cam volunteers to drive his dad's 1979 golden GTO, and Josh offers to ride shotgun. For the parade, Cam burns a mix CD of dance anthems and the four of them all sing along and smile as the car inches forward slowly (Massie almost forgets that this is the first time in a year that she's even spoken with Derrick, and Derrick almost forgets this is the first time he's really spent with his true friends). They eat candy and wave, laughing as they pass huddles of kids that eagerly run towards anything distributed, whether it be candy or plastic beads.

After the parade, things go back to the way they were between the four of them. Derrick goes back to spending all of his time with the soccer guys who kiss his ass and worship the ground he walks on (they're more acquaintances than friends, but he doesn't want to admit that to anyone), while Massie continues spending her time with the same group she's been friends with since junior high.

By now Kristen and Kemp have started dating, while Dylan and Plovert find themselves locked in constant flirtation, neither one of them willing to risk their beautiful friendship by turning it into something more. Claire has moved to Hollywood, having left sometime during their eighth grade year, due to the success of her movie, but she still calls Massie every week for updates and gossip (Massie thinks that maybe their friendship works best like this, where each of them have space to grow apart, but still rely on one another). She and Alicia are closer than ever, finally past the whole 'alpha/beta' situation, but instead willing to admire the fact that their friendship really works because they're so different; they complement one another, one without the other doesn't work as well (which, during her multiple attempts to overthrow Massie, Alicia learned).

Sometimes she sees him in the hallways and waves, but that's about as much as they talk for the rest of the year. It's progress from the complete silence that once passed between them, but is nothing like how they once were. Derrick thinks he'd do anything to earn back Massie's friendship again or to simply go back in time so that he could fix his mistakes. Massie thinks that the relationship between the two is fragile, and though she misses him, if she was offered the chance to go back in time, she wouldn't take it. She likes the way things are now, she has friends that love and support her and she's finally confident in who she is. She understands that sometimes it takes letting go of the past to move forward, and she just hopes Derrick knows that, too.

* * *

She's 16 when she's asked on her second ever date, this time by James Winston, the transfer student from England. He's new and in need of friends, and she knows he's special the moment Chris Plovert introduces him to the group. He has beautiful blue eyes that sparkle when he laughs and a sweet accent that makes her think he could read the dictionary and still sound interesting. James is in almost all of her classes, so Chris asks her to show him around the school, and it's a pretty instant attraction between the two.

That being said, she says no when he asks her out ("I don't know if I really believe in love, and you deserve better than someone like me. You deserve epic romance, and I just don't think I can give you that"). Everyone is surprised when Massie rejects him, but they're even more surprised when she introduces James to Olivia Ryan and insists that she thinks they could make a nice couple (Alicia asks her, repeatedly, if she's lost her mind). Both James and Olivia are wary of Massie's newfound matchmaking skills, but after going on a few double dates with the new couple and Cam (they're still not dating, but she trusts him more than anyone else, as he does her), it's clear that Massie was completely right about the pairing (she jokes that she has to be the maid of honor at their wedding).

Massie's next victims are Alicia and Josh, and though it takes more than a few forced double dates (it's more like 12), they eventually realize that maybe it's easier to just stop fighting against Massie and Cam (they're really a power duo; only twice have they not gotten their way). By spring, love is in the air and the only single friends left are she and Cam, though she's actively looking for someone good enough for her best friend. Until she finds that person, she spends time interrogating Cam about his ideal girl and driving around in his new car (courtesy of his parents).

* * *

**AN: I hope you liked this! I was actually just cleaning out some of my old drafts when I found it tucked away and thought it was time to maybe finish something! Obviously, there's more to come, but let me know what you think!**


	2. part ii

She's 17 when she finally visits Dartmouth College, which is William Block's alma mater. She's entranced by the beauty of the campus and loves how excited her dad is, acting as her own personal tour guide. He shows her all of the best places to study and hang out, as well as the best places to eat (he's trying not to influence where she chooses to spend her college years, but he would love to be able to tell his friends that his daughter is a legacy). They make a weekend of the trip, just the two of them, before returning back to Westchester and the high society life that they feel somewhat trapped in (when it's just the two of them, Massie can totally see why her dad was cool in college; when he lets loose, he's actually pretty fun).

It's when they return that they learn how much time they'll be spending as a duo, as Kendra Block has packed up her belongings and left them (_William, please don't hate me, but I just can't do this anymore! I'm in love with someone else_). Massie isn't as phased as she thought she'd be by the news, considering her mom was always spending her time outside of the house, whether she was attending fashion shows or week long business trips (she can't actually remember the last time she really had a conversation with her mom). Her dad pretends as if nothing is new, but she can see how hurt he is by the fact that his wife left without really looking back. The woman he had built a life with simply decided that what they had built wasn't enough; she knows that it must be hard for him to even look at her right now.

When she suggests that to him, he simply scoffs and insists that this is the chance to really bond, just the two of them. It's a year of making new traditions (half of which include Cam and Josh) and trying new things (like spending time skiing in Aspen, rather than shopping in the city). They visit a few more colleges together (Columbia, NYU, Yale, Harvard, and Brown), some of which they do joint tours with her friends (Alicia and she go shopping while they're looking at NYU, Josh insists that they have to go sailing when they visit Harvard). She only looks at colleges on the east coast, she doesn't want to leave her father completely, and they never really talk about which colleges she likes the most in comparison to the others (she only talks to James about this, because she thinks he's the most unbiased)(James has already set his mind on either Oxford College, back in England, or NYU).

By the time spring rolls around, she's on the ballot to be the junior prom queen, and she jokingly campaigns alongside Cam, just to spite their competitors. It's not that they really want to win, but it has more to do with the fact that Josh and Alicia said there was no way anyone would take the title from them (and well, Cam and Massie are nothing if not competitive). James and Olivia also make the ballot, but they refuse to campaign, for fear of Alicia's wrath and strangely perfected gossip skills (Alicia promises that everyone will think they're weirdly related if they even think about hanging up a single poster). Derrick and Kori Gedman are the final couple on the ticket, and Kori insists on posters, pencils, pens, anything to show Briarwood Academy that she deserved to be popular (when she isn't looking, Derrick tears down their posters and throws their promotional items in the garbage; the last thing he wants is to be her prom king).

However, when he watches Massie and Cam taking their first dance as King and Queen, he thinks maybe he should've been hijacking their campaign, too.

* * *

She's 18 when her life revolves around college applications, the senior musical (_Carrie_, like Scary Carrie), the Bachelor franchise (she and Cam have roped Kemp into their strange addiction), spontaneous adventures with her dad ("It's absolutely vital that we make the most of our time together now, because who knows where you'll be for the next four years"), and making memories with her friends. She makes it her goal to spend the year making things right with all the people she's hurt (see: most of the people she knew when she was between the ages of 8-13), starting with Layne Abeley.

Cam and Kemp join a band with Derrick and Layne, so it's easier for her to make amends with the dark haired girl (she becomes the band's first groupie and never misses a show). She starts a fanclub in honor of '_Skyline_' (Cam got to name the band) and buys the band new instruments. In between practices, Massie spends a little bit of her time apologizing to Layne, as well as helping her attract the attention of her long time crush, Dempsey Solomon (matchmaking is really **her thing**). Sometime between going on double dates with the new couple (and Cam, obviously) and (practically) becoming the fifth member of '_Skyline,_' the two form an interesting friendship.

She lands the role of Sue Snell in _Carrie_, which she thinks is kinda funny, because she's playing the love interest of Kemp, and opposite Alicia, who's cast as the mean girl who's out to ruin Carrie White's life. Rehearsals are more than interesting, with she and Kemp trying not to laugh as they attempt to at least seem (slightly) attracted to one another, while Derrick and Alicia struggle just as much. Dylan is cast as Carrie, and she really is the star of the play (no matter how bad the other four main characters mess up, it's a relief to know that at least someone is professional).

Plovert insists that they all need to watch all of the 'Die Hard' movies, because they're a staple of entertainment that he can't believe none of the girls have seen. Kemp swears that they all have to spend a couple weeks right during their winter break on a road trip, in which they stay in weird motels and eat greasy fast food (and of course, Massie and Cam get the wonderful chance to room together) (at this point, they're basically an honorary couple). Alicia insists that they have to spend every weekend at her family's place at the Hamptons, and that Massie's old weekly sleepovers should make a comeback (sometimes they invite the boys, but usually it's just the five of them).

Massie and Derrick become partners in physics by sheer luck (or misfortune, depending on how you feel about their weird, rocky relationship). They work pretty well together, actually, because Massie is a math genius (she knows that's Cam's fault, they spend _wayyyy _too much time together) and Derrick is a secret science geek (Massie totally makes fun of him when she realizes just how into gravity and torque he is). They're not necessarily friends, but their friendly enough to wave at one another in the hallways and talk to one another during rehearsals (though she and Cam are practically attached at hip, which makes Derrick feel uncomfortable). Sometimes they talk about the crazy things they've done over the weekend (Derrick is kinda the master of the keg stand, while Massie admits she and Kemp are the beer pong champions) (she doesn't drink as frequently as he does, because she wants to remember every detail of her senior year).

It's a slow friendship, but she thinks it's been brewing for a long time and maybe that's what was always meant to happen. She likes the way her life is now; back when she was 13, she had thought that she and Derrick were going to be that inseparable couple that everyone envies, they would be high school sweethearts turned power couple by the prime age of 23. But now, she realizes how much better things are; had she and Derrick been a power couple, maybe she wouldn't have gotten to know her other friends as well as she had, maybe Alicia would still be vying for her spot on the social ladder and Cam would hardly mumble her name. Her family would still be in ruins, sure, but maybe she wouldn't have had the same support that her friends had shown her. Obviously things happen for a reason (it's what she had been telling herself everyday since the _incident_ in junior high) and maybe this is the reason.

Unlike when they were 13, their friendship is pretty natural and quiet, the only people who are aware of it are the people who they've told or who know them really well (Cam, Josh, Alicia and Kemp). There are no expectations and she's not even sure if she'd want to be in a relationship with him (her younger self would be so upset with her right now). She likes the way things are and she's glad that everything happened. It's good this way.

* * *

She's 19 when she decides that she'll be attending Dartmouth in the fall. William Block is a doting father, more than thrilled by her announcement and constantly offering to take her back to the campus so they can explore a little more (she laughs when he mentions this idea, considering it seems like it's more for his benefit than her own). Cam announces that he'll be going there as well (because when can they ever be seperated) and Alicia decides on NYU (though she's upset that her best friend won't be at the same school as her, she thinks maybe it's time for a little bit of change). Alicia makes her promise that they'll visit one another constantly and call all the time, and she laughs at the Latina girl before reassuring her that of course they will (both of them think about the time that this had been their dream, to not be compared to one another) (it doesn't feel great, watching that dream come true). Josh and Kemp settle on Dartmouth, as well, studying architecture and business, respectively (Massie is going to study journalism and pre-law, while Cam studies accounting) (everyone laughs at the dark haired boy's choice, because it surprises no one). What does surprise people is that Olivia and James decide to go to Oxford, together, which means there will be two less people to bother in the States (Olivia jokes that now that she's going to be in England, she has to start practicing her accent). Chris and Kristen declare their plans to attend Yale, while Dylan decides to be Alicia's roommate at NYU (Cam can only imagine the drama that will happen in the dorm room). Derrick quietly tells Massie that he's still choosing between Brown and Harvard, and she reminds him that both are great schools and would be great choices for him (neither school was a real contender for her, but she knows they're both great and that he'll love either one).

Prom falls a little later in the year, and once more, she and Cam find themselves listed as contenders for the crown (she's confused about how people can win twice, but she doesn't voice this anywhere near Alicia). Alicia and Josh make the ballot again, too, and this time around, Alicia goes full Betty Crocker with gourmet cupcakes and cookies, as well as T-shirts and stickers (Massie feels like this is a little extreme, but she knows better than to say that out loud). Olivia and James find themselves in the running again, but this time they help support their friends (James helps Massie and Cam while Olivia makes herself useful by baking with Alicia), they don't really want to win and are saving their money for England (Olivia squeaks every time anyone even mentions the country). Derrick and Dylan are the last couple, and because Dylan is extremely competitive, she decides it's time to start trashing the competition (all in good fun, she swears). The rumors she starts about Alicia and Josh having sex in every classroom makes people curious (if not a little disgusted and a little impressed), but the rumor about Massie and Cam secretly screwing practically hands them the crowns (Dylan had hoped that it would make people think they were being dishonest, but apparently it only made people love them more). Not even the offensive raps Massie creates and the trashy posters Cam hangs up can change the results, much to their dismay, and they find themselves taking the first dance (technically their second) as King and Queen once more (the principal says they're the first ever couple to have won both years, as if it's something important to be the most popular people in school) (at one point, both had thought it was, but not anymore).

Kristen and Plovert apparently tied to be valedictorian, so they give a joint speech that makes everyone cry and feel nostalgic about the chapter of their life that's ending. Derrick's speech discusses growth and how things aren't always as they seem (sometimes they're better) and Massie smiles, knowing that Derrick was always the right choice for president (she had known all along). He whispers to her that he's chosen Brown and hands her a train ticket between Brown and Dartmouth, telling her not to hesitate if she needs anything. She smiles, but before she can say anything else, she's being swept away by Miranda Fisher, who swears she needs more pictures of she and Cam (Miranda is like the mother she's never had and has always supported her).

She spends the summer going to drive in movies and tanning at the Hamptons, trying to pretend that all of her friends won't be scattered across the globe (thanks a lot Olivia and James) within a few short months. The girls make various trips into the city looking for dorm decor and trying to decide what kind of wardrobe is appropriate for college (Kristen jokes that while they want to be noticed, they don't want it to be because they look like someone's weird fantasy in knee socks).

William decides that his daughter shouldn't be living in the dorms like he once did, and insists that she live in an apartment (with Kemp, Cam, and Josh, obviously). Dylan is practically giddy at the prospect of getting to design and coordinate the furniture within the space, while Josh and Kemp are just thrilled to be free of communal bathrooms (sure, they'll still be sharing, but at least they know one another). Cam and Massie endure long conversations with their parents about their relationship status ("we're still just friends, nothing has changed since you asked yesterday") and debate the dangers of bunk beds ("imagine how cool it would be, Cameron").

When they get to Dartmouth in the fall, they settle into a familiar pattern. Cam and Massie go to the movies every Wednesday and Saturday night, while Friday's are reserved for game night (in which they play literally every game they can find). Sundays are when their parents and families sometimes visit (aka: William, they have to force him to leave sometimes), and Mondays are obviously reserved for the Bachelor (Josh has joined in on their addiction, and they all make brackets now to see who can predict the outcome the best). Tuesdays are spent between Kemp and Massie in the gym, gossiping, while Thursdays are she and Josh's adventure days (sometimes they go hiking or ride the bus aimlessly until something sounds interesting). They have a nice routine and Massie loves every second of it.

* * *

She's 20 when Derrick Harrington announces that he's transferring to Dartmouth and asks to be their fifth roommate. There's room for him, considering the fact that they only occupy two of the five bedrooms in the apartment (they have a guest bedroom, while one room has been transformed into the man cave and the other stores all of Massie's clothes). They decide that it's time for Massie's closet to downsize, because she can't store all of her clothes in her bedroom closet (let alone Cam's), which leads to a large garage sale that earns them more than five thousand dollars and allows Derrick a place to call his own.

20 is also the year Cam finally agrees to going on weird set-up double dates with her, in which she chooses Cam's date and he chooses hers ("_no one knows us better than us, so why don't you let me try to help you find your forever?"_). The first double date is _interesting_, and Massie spends the night next to Noah (an accounting major who spends a majority of his time playing esports and reading comics) while Cam tries to force conversation with Hannah (a fashion major that Massie met at the gym once, who loves online shopping and designer brands). Cam claims that his date should've been Alicia's date (there's no arguing there) and sends Massie various text messages throughout the night to allow them to leave early (she would've gotten them, had her date not been very alert to the light of her phone; he always noticed when she wasn't paying attention). Obviously, they don't go on a second date with their chosen partners, but in the late-night recap, Massie and Cam decide that it was kind of fun and interesting to meet new people in this fashion, and of course they'll do it again.

The second double date is with Ethan (a marketing major who uses too much hair product and is kinda a douche) and Emma (a sweet journalism major that is in one of Massie's classes and likes to spend her time outside of class reading gossip blogs and practicing her investigative journalism skills). Cam jokes that Massie has a type, she attracts people who are exactly like a combination of Dylan and Alicia, while Massie reminds him that there's a lot more on the line this time, considering she and Emma see one another two days a week. They decide to take their dates bowling, but somehow they forget how competitive the two of them are, and they spend the evening trash talking one another and working hard to ensure their victories (they completely ignore their dates, however). Massie wins, though Ethan, who she's hardly said more than 10 words to, comes in a close second behind her, reminding her of his presence (she feels a little bad about how little she's spoken to him). However, some of her guilt disappears when Cam returns with a large blue slushee (her winning spoils) and she sees Emma and Ethan in deep conversation about how some college sports team got in trouble for paying their athletes. She and Cam laugh about how their matchmaking skills have once more done good for the world, but neither mentions how they somehow set up their dates.

It's the third date when things get a little strange, because Cam decides that maybe it's time Massie goes on a real (semi-real) date with his best bud, Derrick Harrington. Derrick is wary of the entire situation and isn't even sure if he thinks he and Massie would make a good couple anymore (they've grown apart since when they were 13 and he thinks that maybe they make better friends and roommates than romantic partners). However, when Derrick unknowingly makes the mistake of telling Massie that he's uncertain about their upcoming date, the brunette smiles and quickly flees the room to call up her childhood friend, Claire Lyons. Claire is wary about the date because the last time she saw Massie and Cam, she remembers thinking that they were in love with one another, but she agrees anyway, because she and Massie are best friends and it's been a while since they've had the chance to spend any time together.

The date, in itself, is a disaster, just like Claire and Derrick had assumed it would be. Apparently Cam's idea (trivia) was the first mistake, because both he and Massie were strangely motivated to win a weird free weekend cruise on the Atlantic (Derrick and Claire didn't necessarily want to win, but they pretended to for the sake of their respective teammates). Massie knows all the answers to pop culture questions and random knowledge, while Cam excels with the history questions (Derrick's expertise is sports and Claire is just watching, trying not to smile as her friends clearly dance around one another and their feelings) (it's also abundantly clear to her why none of the other double dates succeeded). At the end of the night, Massie and Derrick's team (which Cam inisited they name 'Massington') wins, but Derrick claims he has sea sickness (he doesn't) and insists that Cam should take his place on the weird weekend cruise (he's been on a yacht before, and he doesn't want to let anything come between his friendship with Cam, whether the darker haired boy would acknowledge his feelings or not). The quad heads back to the groups apartment (Claire is staying in the guest room), with Derrick and Claire riding together while Massie and Cam have their post-date evaluation in his mustang.

It's only when they're re-evaluating the evening that they realize how terrible this date was; they were so busy trying to remind each other that they had changed since junior high and that the pairing was a mistake that they didn't really get the chance to hang out with their good friends. Massie didn't want Cam to think that she was still the same lovesick girl who was willing to break anyone and everyone who stood in her way, no matter how much she liked them; she has genuine feelings now and is actually smart, she wants people to remember her best qualities and not her worst. Cam didn't want Massie to think that he was still the same sappy kid he was back in the seventh grade when he was burning love CD's for Claire and professing his love with red hots; he's different now, he knows that he's looking for something that's real and not based on material items. They apologize to one another and watch the sunset from their favorite place on campus (a post-date tradition), while wondering if maybe they had been too caught up in trying to show they've changed to really take the time to acquaint themselves with the figures from their past.

When Cam suggests they go back and propose another date with their friends, Massie is a little hesitant (even though she spent the whole night proving she's changed, she's also confident that Derrick's changed to and that they don't really fit together anymore). It turns out that there won't be a second date either way though, because when they return, the find Derrick and Claire asleep and spooning on the leather sectional in the living room (apparently they bonded over their friends' idiocy and how some people grow together, like Cam and Massie, while others need time apart, like them).

They stop going on double dates for a while. Claire leaves New Hampshire promising to visit more often (especially now that her boyfriend is going to school there) and advising Massie to stop with the whole dating thing (she doesn't mention Cam, but she wants to).

* * *

**Hi guys! Sorry for the late update! Also, please review and let me know what you think! And finally, I started writing this story with Massington in mind, but I guess I realized that maybe there should be a change ;). I hope you liked it and be sure to let me know what you want to see happen next! ~xoxoStyles**


	3. part iii

She's 21 when she finally (_finally_) goes on her first actual date. Cam isn't involved at all, there is no second couple to distract her from the magical evening. It's just Kemp Hurley, under the glow of the twinkle lights that he set up in their backyard, sitting on a picnic blanket, going over some of their favorite musical numbers (she _loves_ Jonathan Groff, while he closely follows Brian D'Arcy James's career). Though both are hesitant to admit it, it's kind of the perfect night; the stars are shining on them as they sing some of their favorite classics, without a care in the world.

Of course, it should be noted that this isn't actually a date between her and Kemp. It's more a casual outing between two friends, one of whom was recently dumped by their long-distance significant other and was looking for comfort. Kemp's completely devastated when Kristen calls, talking about how maybe they've grown apart and how long-distance is hard (he wants to remind her that all of their friends make it work, but he refrains from doing so), and Massie, in attempts to try to make things better, insists that he should take her in her very first date, so it's special and _perfect_. Which it totally is.

Later Josh asks if this means they're going to date and Derrick makes jokes about the two of them making out, but they don't really pay much attention to their friends, because they don't owe anyone any explanations (and Kemp hasn't come around to telling everyone about how he got dumped) (he's really glad he only told Massie and Cam about his plans to propose). However, when Cam chimes in stating that they make an attractive couple, tension seems to fill the air, no one knowing how to respond to his comment (Derrick and Josh make quick excuses to leave the room, while Kemp pretends to receive an _urgent _phone call). Massie just cringes a little and slaps Cam lightly, shooting him a look that reminds him how wrong of a statement that was to say (after all, Kemp can't picture himself with anyone but Kristen, and Cam knows that).

At night, as they're laying on their king bed (Cam insisted that the bunk beds were uncomfortable and Massie fell in love with their new mattress), Cam asks about how things really went between her and Kemp and if they'll make it habitual (he doesn't say that he had thought he would be her first date, but he thinks she might know). She says that it was nice and sweet and everything she had ever hoped it would be, completely unaware of how to hurt Cam is by her admission and oblivious to the fact that the relationship between the two of them is beginning to change.

The next week Cam finds a serious girlfriend and Massie moves out of the apartment. She insists that it'd be weird for the two of them to remain roommates considering the fact that it probably would make his girlfriend uncomfortable and that this makes more sense for everyone (she tries to pretend she isn't hurt about the latest turn of events, and she tells herself she's doing good, considering Cam doesn't seem too concerned about her). The boys help her pack and plead with her to stay (Cam isn't there because he and _Lydia _are going to some carnival), saying they'd rather Cam move out and that she could bunk with any of them, but she insists that this is what is best for everyone. She's moving in with some of her friends from her classes and she thinks maybe it'll be totally different living with all girls, but sometimes different is good.

Cam isn't there when she moves the last of her boxes out of the old place, and she tells herself it's for the best (she doesn't think she'd be able to leave if he asked her to stay). She wonders what this means for she and Cam's relationship, but the small voice in her mind tells her that her friendship with Cam is practically over now (she hasn't seen him in a week or so and when she does, he's always sleeping on the couch or hanging out with _Lydia_).

A couple of weeks after she's settled into her new living arrangement, Josh stops by and admits that _Lydia_ asked Cam to stop speaking to Massie ("_she doesn't trust the two of you together_"). She smiles and says she understands, and she tries to, because, of course, she wants Cam to be as happy as possible and, yeah, she understands that everything has to come to an end at some point, but she can't help feeling hurt and betrayed. It's a choice he made without her even knowing. A choice that was so easy for him to make that he didn't even think it would be necessary to inform her that their friendship was over. Her heart breaks a little and she blocks Cam's number, unable to handle the way her stomach twists when she thinks about the dark-haired boy.

She doesn't know how Cam struggles to sleep every night in the lonely king bed, or how he tries not to think of her when he's with his new girlfriend. His mom calls when Massie moves out, because apparently she had called Massie to discuss something, and Massie accidentally informed of her of the situation between the two of them (the one where he avoids her and she pretends to not notice); Miranda is disappointed in her youngest son and sad at the thought that this means Massie won't be her daughter-in-law like she's always hoped. The call makes Cam feel worse and reminds him that it's his fault things are like this. She always trusted him and he turned on her. They hated when Derrick did it to them when they were 13, but now he realizes that he's so much worse. He's a monster and he doesn't even know how to start to fix things, so he doesn't.

* * *

She's 22 when she hears from Cam again. Aside from random drunken calls and a lonely birthday text, her best friend has been totally ghosting her (she knows it, but doesn't want to push him at all, so she doesn't make an effort to change things). However, a year after she moved out, a year after she told herself that everything was going to be better (which she's not sure things are), his number shows up on her screen and she hesitates (she unblocked him pretty quickly after Derrick reminded her how irrational that was) ("_how will he plead for your forgiveness if he has no way to contact you")_.

His call is unexpected and she has half a mind to not answer, and just leave him with all these questions and doubts swirling around in his mind (just like he did to her last year). Sure, she knows that's the bitter and immature thing to do, but she thinks she has the right to be a little bit of both; her best friend ditched her without any warning and now, a year later, is calling for some unbeknownst reason (she's not sure she wants to hear the reason, she tells herself it's an accidental call, but she's just _so curious_). So she picks up, because, even though all the situational possibilities in her mind end badly, she just needs some kind of closure. They were best friends for nine years, totally inseparable, but then someone else came along and Cam decided that she wasn't worth it anymore. (When she called Alicia and explained the situation, the Latina girl was sympathetic towards her, but then suggested maybe Massie was so hurt because she liked Cam as more than a friend) (Massie hasn't been able to stop wondering about this for a year, though she'll never tell anyone that).

"I broke up with Lydia." He says softly, not even addressing her before skipping right to what he wants to say. He's tried calling every day for the past three months (since Derrick sat him down and gave him a long talk about trust, friendship, and sticking around, even when you're scared). He's sorry and he's hurt and he feels like the worst person alive knowing that he hurt her (he knows because the boys never mention her around him; he knows that they still see her and talk to her and like her _more than him_, so the fact that she never comes up in conversation is a huge deal to him).

"Oh, um, I'm sorry, Cam. I'm sure you'll find someone else." There's a heavyweight on her heart and her stomach twists at the idea that he'll find someone else, someone else that _isn't her._ She's not even sure if she wants to be with him if she'd be willing to forget everything he's done (or hasn't done) this last year, but she now knows that she likes him as more than just a friend, which makes her extremely anxious.

"I'm in love with you." He's vulnerable and afraid of her reaction, but he knows it's what he should've told her after she went on that quasi-date with Kemp (he can think of 50 times he should've told her, but told himself that the timing was wrong). Derrick had told him to ease into the conversation and Kemp had written down a few jokes, but he threw them away on accident and was left with no real advice but to tell the truth (which was Josh's advice, Josh's, not at all helpful, advice).

"I-" Silence fills the air as Massie racks her brain for something to say, anything to ease the tension between them and somehow reassure him that maybe she does feel the same way. She's looking for the words that will show him how much she cares about him, as well as how cautious she is about the situation.

"Cam, what's taking so long?" The voice is high pitched and clearly female, which makes Massie stiff and tense, her brain freezing completely. "Why are you wearing so many clothes?"

"Oh, I didn't realize I was interrupting-"

"Wait, Massie, it's not-" His words are meant with the dial tone and the knowledge that he's messed up, again. The drunk blonde beside him is toying with the hem of his shirt, totally unaware of the damage she's done to him most important relationship (he doubts she would care if she had known, it's not like they're any sort of friends; they just hook up).

He desperately tries to call her again, but it goes straight to voicemail, and when he watches as Kemp and Josh quickly make their way out of the apartment, he knows he's made one of the biggest mistakes of his life.

* * *

She's 23 when she finds herself in London, preparing to make her acting debut in the West End's production of _The Last Five Years_, which she finds somewhat amusing considering what a rollercoaster her last five years have been. From being in love with her best friend to trying to get as far away from him as possible, Massie can't honestly say she'd never thought this is how her life would be. Her plans after college always involved law school and Harvard and fighting for justice, not singing and dancing on stage and pretending to be someone else every night. She knows this isn't what she expected, but she kinda loves it even more than her original dreams.

Her original dreams didn't involve living with Kristen and getting to decipher different roles, getting to make people happy every night. They didn't involve sweet costars and an incredible support system. Sure, Josh and Kemp are sad to see her go across the globe (they both move back to the city), but they promise to call every week and sometimes they make an occasional visit (Josh more than Kemp, considering things are still tense between him and Kristen). Derrick's in California with Claire, while Alicia and Dylan are still in the city, joined by Olivia and James (who joke that Massie and Kristen took their places in London). She thinks she heard Derrick and Kristen discussing Cam one night, the low whispers indicating he was making a fresh start in Seattle. No one really talks about him anymore (not around her, at least).

Critics love her portrayal of Cathy Hyatt, and she thinks her co-star is amazingly talented. They perform for packed audiences every night, and Massie starts to fall into a new rhythm, one that revolves around singing, dancing, and living life to the fullest. It's different than the routine she had with Cam (where they did everything together for nearly 10 years) and the routine she had with Alicia (where they were high-class socialites who were always watching everyone). This routine allows her to be someone else completely, and maybe that's what she needs while she tries to figure out who she really is.

* * *

**HEY guys! I am so sorry this has taken so long, but April has been a month of projects and papers and studying to prepare for exams! Also, I was a little lost, but then I just had some inspiration the other day, kinda out of the blue. I think there's probably one or two more chapters left, so stay tuned and let me know what you'd like to see next!**


	4. part iv

She's 24 when she's offered the opportunity of a lifetime, to be a part of the Broadway adaptation of _Moulin Rouge_. There's workshopping (of course) and she's scheduled to spend a few weeks debuting the show Off-Broadway, to judge how people will react to the show and allow the cast to get a feel for everything in front of a smaller audience, but it's still Broadway and it's a part that she's been dreaming of since she fell in love with musicals and music at the prime age of five.

That being said, she's reluctant to take the part once it's offered to her. Kristen encourages her, reminding her that the director specifically asked her to apply for the exclusive part, that he praised her work in_ The Last Five Years_ and insisted that he would attempt to work around her schedule, though she still isn't sold when her manager tells her that she's landed the leading role. _Moulin Rouge_ would mean leaving Kristen and London, two things she's become pretty attached to; secretly, she's scared that going back to New York will bring back old memories of not being good enough and desperately trying to be what everyone wants her to be, but she doesn't voice her concerns out loud (she doesn't need to, Kristen somehow knows about her fears and assures her that everything will be alright). She doesn't officially take the part until Kristen starts packing up her things from their flat, telling her that she called her manager and accepted on Massie's behalf and that Kemp will be taking her place in London (the two of them finally worked things out). Kristen gives the brunette a long speech about how sad she will be that they'll be separated by an ocean, but that their friendship will thrive thanks to video chat and phone calls and surprise visits (it's scripted and there is a slideshow presentation of pictures of the duo flashing behind her, which make Massie more emotional than she had expected to be).

The two girls spend their last month together going to all of their favorite places and traveling as much as possible (Kristen uses all of her vacation days and even some of her sick days, claiming that 'heartache' is a perfectly good excuse). They make new memories and act like crazy tourists, taking enough pictures to fill more than two scrapbooks and laughing so much that it eventually hurts to move. As they pack Massie's belongings into boxes and ship them to Derrick (Massie's new roommate in the city), the girls revisit memories they had forgotten about and tell crazy anecdotes about the old belongings that had been in the flat when they arrived (a pair of old binoculars that Kristen swears must've been from Christopher Columbus, a pair of pants that have inappropriate cuts in them, some toothbrushes). Massie insists that Kristen keep any sort of appliances that the two have, as well as all of the nice white leather furniture William had bought them when they first moved (_"furniture is hard to move and I know from past experience that Derr is way too messy for white leather"_). Kristen gives her a journal that she'd been keeping since they moved to London on their last night together (_"so that you can never forget how much fun we had together, our memories are forever written in this book"_) and Massie hands her a DVD of compiled footage she'd taken on her phone from during their adventures.

They spend their last night together crying and watching _Moulin Rouge_ while singing along with Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman and talking about Massie's new leading man (**Aaron Tveit!**). They sleep on the hardwood floor in their living room, bundled in the sheets off Kristen's bed, and pretending as if they won't be separated for as long as they both know they will be.

When Josh arrives in the morning to help her make sure everything is properly taken care of, Massie breaks down again and has to be physically removed from Kristen, who is crying just as hard.

While she's in London, tying up loose ends and crying as she packs her belongings into boxes, she doesn't know that Cameron Fisher is uprooting his life from Seattle (_"it's beautiful, but I miss my friends and it's time to come home"_). Kemp flies out to Seattle to help him pack all of his boxes and to make sure his transition goes smoothly, while Josh flies to London to help Massie do the same. Cam's nostalgic about leaving Seattle, but he's ready to be in New York, with a clean slate and some friends he's loved since junior high. Massie hardly wants to leave London, contemplating daily if she should withdrawal from her newest role (Satine in _Moulin Rouge_) and just move into an apartment down the hall from the happy couple (Josh insists she needs to keep moving forward, while Kristen picks up an application from their landlord just in case).

* * *

_Moulin Rouge_ is opening on Broadway on her 25th birthday, which Josh insists is memorable (he also insists that all their friends be there to watch her make her official Broadway debut) (even Cam is in attendance, though she doesn't know this at the time). Massie tells him that he's "_insane_" and that they didn't need to all come, but they do anyways (_"it's what friends are for"_). Derrick is her date to the cast party afterward (because Dylan and Plovert have to rush home to their crying baby, while Alicia and Josh are in charge of entertaining all of the family Josh had insisted (guilted) into coming to her debut). Standing next to the blonde, making small talk with some of her co-stars and their significant others, she finds herself wondering if this is what she would've wanted back when she was younger, if this is what her life would've been like had she and Derrick gotten together in junior high (she finds herself thinking about this a lot more than she wants to). As the duo makes their way home from the party, Massie ignores the whispers about _"how cute"_ they are and laughs when she sees people on the subway taking their picture.

They're friends, not even friends with feelings, and she can honestly say that the past year has done wonders for their friendship. They're still roommates (and probably the best roommate duo out of all their friends) and they have a system that involves support and encouragement, mixed with a large dose of honesty and a little sympathy. It works well for them, and they find themselves able to discuss everything with one another (from Derrick's broken relationship with Claire to Massie's secret crush on Cam) (Derrick laughs when she calls it a secret and tells her that everyone knew about it in college, which earns him a pillow to the face).

From time to time, people mistake them for a couple and fawn over how adorable they are; Derrick is always waiting by the stage door to walk her home and Massie's always on his arm at company functions and baking desserts for the various office parties they have. They understand why people would think their relationship is more than platonic, and always rush to admit that there's truly nothing romantic between them (it's not awkward like it was when people thought Massie and Cam were a couple because there are truly no lingering romantic feelings or secretive glances). Sometimes, while Derrick's cooking dinner on Massie's night off or while Massie's baking brownies at midnight and he's sitting at the counter keeping her company, she finds herself thinking that their relationship has come full circle; they've been friends, almost more than friends, strangers, slow friends, and back to friends again.

One night, as she's sitting awake in her pajamas, with Derrick licking the cookie dough off of the mixer's whisk, she finds herself thinking that she's glad to have a friend like him.

Her friendship with Alicia is one in which they share secrets and gossip and go shopping, something she values a lot. With Josh, the two of them explore the city and try all of the weirdest new places; it's more about 'expanding horizons' and really testing their own limits. Time spent with Dylan is usually spent in their Zumba class or around one of Dylan's children (she and Plovert have two now), which makes her feel more mature and older than she's used to. Her friendships with Kristen and Kemp are still strong, she trusts them as much as ever and misses them more than she thought possible. Things with Olivia are based around fashion and drawings and everything art; Massie and Derrick have a variety of her failed pottery pieces on display around their living room. She and James often find themselves meeting in coffee shops and parks to discuss the books they're reading (they've started a two-person book club, in which they take turns suggesting what to read). Even she and Plovert spend time together sometimes, going to Yankees games together (apparently Kemp used to go with him, and she was more than happy to take the other brunette's place in the duo's traditions).

In comparison to her other friendships, it would seem as if Massie and Derrick fall somewhat short; they don't go new places or have long-standing traditions (they don't even have a specific place that they can refer to as their own, besides their apartment). When Alicia asked during one of their shopping trips what she and Derrick do together, the brunette didn't have an adequate answer; they don't really do anything.

And there's magic in that.

Being able to just be around someone, without having any sort of external forces acting on them. They're comfortable with one another, they're totally in sync. It's the kind of friendship she once thought she shared with Cam, though things are way easier with Derrick. And she likes it.

* * *

She's 26 when she calls Cam for the first time in years; her breath is shaky, her vision is blurry, and she feels as if the earth is swallowing her whole. Tears are streaming down her face as she dials the number she knows by heart (even after years of not using it, it's still permanently tattooed in her brain) and desperately prays that the darker haired boy will pick up (he does). In between sobs, Massie attempts to explain the situation to her former friend, though she isn't sure how much he truly understands about what's happening (though he must understand her location, because he insists that he's on the way to the hospital, but that she should keep talking to him so that he knows she's still doing alright).

He arrives five minutes later (one of the nurses tells her this later, she doesn't have any concept of time when everything is happening around her). His dark curls are matted to his head and longer than she's ever remembered them being, a detail she finds herself hung upon, and there are tears brimming in his multi-colored eyes that he's desperately trying to blink away. He sweeps her into his arms as soon as he sees her, trying to reassure her that everything will be okay (_"you don't know that"_) and that he'll stay with her for as long as she needs.

They spend their first night together in five years, clinging to one another in the uncomfortable blue plastic chairs in the hospital waiting room, but neither is willing to leave and the nursing staff has enough sympathy for them that they're allowed to stay (Cam's sure that if they _had_ been asked to leave, they would've simply booked a hotel room next door or slept in the parking garage attached to the hospital). Suddenly it doesn't matter that they have unresolved feelings for one another or that they haven't spoken in years, all that matters is that they're together.

Oh, well that and the fact that Derrick's been shot.

* * *

**Okay, so I was trying to write _part five_ when I realized that I didn't really like the way _part four_ went, so I decided on a total re-write. What do you think? Thanks again for all of your support and for reading!**


	5. part v

**Hey guys, in case you didn't know, I re-wrote the last chapter, so be sure to read that before starting this one; otherwise, it might not make as much sense!**

* * *

Massie Jillian Block is 26 when she wakes up in the hospital waiting room, alone. She feels as if she's aged ten years within the span of 24 hours; the doctors still want to examine her, everything feels numb, and there's a certain ache in her chest that she can't ignore. She's haunted by the green eyes of the man who attempted to mug her, of the man who shot her best friend; he looked scared and afraid, as if he thought the only way he could survive was by stealing from her (which makes her feel even more nauseous when added to the fact that her best friend is lying in a hospital bed due to that man's fear and anxieties). All she can think about is what had happened in those short few minutes; she and Derrick had been strolling towards their apartment, laughing about the latest GIF battle Kemp and Josh were having in their group chat when suddenly a man with a gun jumped out towards them in the street. Derrick had told her to run. Derrick had told her to run far away and to just leave him before something bad could happen to her.

Derrick had been shot when it should've been her.

"Hey, I brought you some coffee and one of those weird pastries you like," Cam mumbles as he takes the seat beside her hesitantly, offering up the breakfast as if he's waving a white flag. Massie smiles slightly as she nods, accepting the truce that he's offering, before taking a small bite of the croissant (it's cold and hard and seems somewhat stale, but she doesn't comment on any of that, because it's not what's important right now).

"So what-"

"Miss Block, if you have a moment, the doctor would like to examine you to see if-"

"I don't want to go anywhere." Massie says firmly, interrupting the nurse, who is looking at her as if she's a five-year-old who needs as much help as possible, rather than the 26-year-old woman she is. She understands that rejecting the medical examination the hospital wants isn't necessarily a safe or encouraged choice, but all she can think about is Derrick and how any injuries she might have sustained couldn't be worse than the bullet hole he has in his shoulder.

The nurse gives her a sad look but retreats from the duo, writing something on her notepad ("_she probably thinks you're delusional"_ Massie thinks bitterly), before taking her place behind the receptionist's desk, where she repeats Massie's decision to her colleagues. Beside her, she knows Cam is watching her, desperate to plead with her to at least be examined by someone, but he remains silent; quietly, she thinks that he might understand the fact that Derrick is her priority right now and that she just needs comfort and for everything to be about _Derrick_.

She refuses to leave the hospital for seven days and, to his credit, Cam stays by her side throughout the entire week, only leaving her to go to the bathroom, make a few phone calls for work, or to inform their other friends and the Harrington family about any potential updates in Derrick's situation. The Harrington's had been able to spend a couple of days at the hospital with their son, but had to leave to go back to work, rationing that it would be better if they banked their _sick days_ for when Derrick woke up, rather than spend all day trapped in a hospital (like Massie and Cam are).

Her dad is staying at her apartment, having driven to the city the day after the entire incident and forced his daughter to be seen by a doctor (she has a sprained ankle and a few broken ribs that would take a while to heal). William had insisted that he should stay in the city while Derrick is recovering, considering he is a doctor ("_one of the best"_ he reminds Massie somberly, without a hint of teasing in his tone), taking residence in Massie's room while she and Cam spend their nights in the hospital waiting room (after the broken-rib diagnosis, the nurses start to offer the duo an empty hospital room, so that Massie's offered maximum comfort) (she's sure that it's unethical, but she can't find it in herself to care, considering it hurts significantly less to sleep in the bed than the chairs).

When Cam announces that he needs to at least take a shower and change, maybe spend a day away from the hospital, Massie reluctantly agrees that she feels the same way (much to Cam's relief). Alicia brings a change of clothes over to Cam's apartment, and the duo spends the day on Cam's king bed (the same one from Dartmouth, Massie notes fondly), talking about their best memories of Derrick. Cam tells her about the funny things they did when they were younger, like Derrick's idea to 'scare' the ducks, which led to them having to run away from the ducks (and both of them to have an irrational fear of them). Massie's stories are more recent, like about how she caught Derrick crying in the living room watching _The Vow _when she came home from running some errands on one of her days off, and how he found himself on a date with a sixty-year-old woman who thought he was a male escort, all because he didn't understand the weird language she had been using on him and had simply thought she just needed help with the plumbing in her apartment. They reminisce like old friends and pretend as if Derrick simply moved away or went on vacation, rather than is lying in the hospital, still unconscious.

At night, Massie admits that she isn't sure if she'll be able to live with herself if Derrick dies; she feels responsible for him being shot and can't stand the idea that he might not make it out alive. Cam tells her that growing up, he always felt as if he lived in Derrick's shadow; admitting that he'd rather be in the shadows than burning in a world without his childhood best friend. They share insecurities and talk late into the morning about the various worries they have about the situation they're in (with Derrick; they're both very clear in avoiding discussing the relationship between **them**).

Two days later, they're together when she receives the call that Derrick is awake and that he's asking for her, worried about her. They cry and make their way to the hospital, both silently wondering if they'll ever return to the way things were before everything seemed to _change_.

* * *

She's 28 when she finds herself staring back at the large oak doors of Briarwood Academy, feeling a slight sense of dread overcome her as she waits outside of the gray stone building. Derrick had promised that the two of them would enter together ("_as a symbol of solidarity"_) even though their dates had both already went inside (hers had thought their weird agreement was somewhat endearing, while he had thought it was a little weird) (his date had been skeptical about his friendship with Massie since the beginning of their relationship).

"You ready to do this, Block?" Derrick's voice calls out from behind her, shaking her out of her nostalgia-filled haze. Sometimes she needed a reminder that she was no longer the girl who once strutted down the hallways of Octavian Country Day in 'formation' with her best friends to whatever song she had chosen for the day. They no longer rated one another's outfits while spilling gossip in the back of her Range Rover, carelessly using words like 'LBR' and "Eh Mah Gawd' while degrading those around them. She was a different person now and standing next to her old crush, she couldn't help but be thankful for that fact.

"As ready as I'll ever be, Derrington." She smiles as Derrick links their arms together, the use of his old nickname bringing back fond memories for the duo as they make their way into the place that once seemed like their personal safe haven. Now, Massie thinks of Derrick as somewhat of a safe haven for her; he's someone who always has her best interests at heart and can make any situation better with a simple smile (much to her annoyance, at times). They grew up together, lived together for a brief amount of time (they both moved out after the whole shooting, with Derrick relocating to New Hampshire), and know one another better than anyone else does. There's something special about the bond that they share, something that she finds herself in awe of sometimes; this isn't how she had once pictured her life, but it's somehow better than her middle school fantasies.

She's a Broadway star about to start another role alongside Jonathan Groff (her ultimate celebrity crush). She's living in New York, surrounded by her friends and family (her dad moved to the city a year ago, deciding that Westchester was full of ghosts from his past and that he needed a fresh start). She knows some of the most famous people in the world, has had lunch with some incredible A-listers, and has a Tony in the shelf in her living room, on display for everyone to admire it (she had wanted to put it in a closet, shoved away somewhere, but her boyfriend had insisted that it be somewhere that people could see it).

She's engaged, too, something that isn't as surprising as she thinks it should be, though at the time it had happened, she had been sure that marriage and happiness weren't in the cards for her. The beautiful diamond sits on her left hand gracefully, with an even larger (and slightly dated) ring sitting on her right. Every night, as she drifts to sleep, she silently wonders how she got everything _so right_ when it had felt _so wrong_ at the time; how had she gotten everything she wanted, even though she had been one of the worst people (EVER) for so long.

Josh tells her it's because fate has a mean way of making you see things that you couldn't see before, though he then mentions that the connection between she and Cam was obvious from the start and that he should've started a betting pool back in high school. Alicia smiles tenderly and tells her that forgiving other people is easy, but forgiving yourself is hard (something Massie is familiar with, though she's never understood how it really applies to anything else). Kemp jokes that the two of them had practically gotten married in college and that those "weird double dates were just a messed up sort of foreplay," before insisting that he get an invitation to the wedding. Olivia jumps gleefully with her as the two giggle and talk about wedding dresses and shopping and cake tasting and everything that comes with a wedding (James proposed a few weeks ahead of Cam, so they both get to plan their weddings together, though Cam had insisted they have separate weddings) ("_we went on all of those double dates, a double wedding would just seem somewhat redundant"_). Kristen flies in from London and declares that she will be taking her role of 'Maid of Honor' extremely seriously, which means Facetime calls and endless texts and email chains that take up all of both of their inboxes (Alicia is a little hurt that Kristen has claimed the coveted title, though she understands, considering the two were roommates for a while). Derrick is possibly the happiest of their friends, and it comes as a surprise to no one when Cam asks him to stand beside him at their big day (Derrick swears he wasn't crying, but Massie saw a tear or two trickle quickly down his face).

"Did you ever think this is how everything would go? Back when we were walking these halls, did you ever picture our lives like this?" She asks curiously as they make their way down the tiled hallway, staring blankly at the various decorations strung throughout the long corridor.

"When we were in high school, I thought you and Cam were secretly screwing, so the fact that you're together isn't a huge surprise," Derrick comments with a shrug, earning him a light slap in the stomach and an amber eye-roll, two things he's grown accustomed to over the years.

"I'm being serious Derr," she insists, her voice taking on a slightly whine-y quality that makes her sound twelve instead of the twenty-eight she actually is.

"Okay, honestly, in high school… I never would've guessed this is how our lives would've turned out," Derrick says after giving the question some thought (and rubbing his hand over his chin, like someone who's pondering their entire existence). "I'm not playing pro-ball like I had always thought I would and the two of us somehow reconciled, which I never thought would happen after the Olivia thing."

"Trust me when I say that 13 year old me is probably really upset that we made it past the whole Olivia thing; I was devastated when I saw you kissing her," she admits with a slight laugh, remembering her over-dramatic response to what she had thought was _the end of the world_. "I had been dreaming of our future wedding and the house we were going to buy in Westchester, while you were over kissing someone who I absolutely hated at the time."

"Admittedly not a smart move on my part," Derrick mumbles with a smile beginning to stretch across his face as he remembers the aftermath of _the kiss_. "But, it was really thanks to me and my _betrayal_ that you started to bond with Cammiekins, which has progressed into the actual engagement you have. I was a young matchmaker!"

"Get over yourself, Derrington. Cam and I would've run the same social circles, anyway, and we didn't even get together until after you almost died." Massie replies with a slight laugh, finally able to think of Derrick's shooting as something other than tragic (they hadn't spoken about it for a solid year until Derrick insisted that _enough was enough_).

"Oh please, you guys were two-time royalty; when you're taking your third official dance as King and Queen, please remember who stepped aside and helped you pave your way to love," Derrick jokes as they make their way into the gym, which is filled with balloons and people flooding them, asking about their engagement and if they're expecting children anytime soon (secretly, Massie thinks she might've missed Westchester, just a little).

* * *

**Oh My God! I'm currently debating a little ending about how they're parents and everything is full circle or at least trying to wrap up everything, so let me know what you would like to see below! Also, thank you guys for going on this crazy journey with me! It's been a blast!**

**Review below and tell me what you think!**


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